Associate Review

I am an associate auditor, this means I am working alongside a variety of companies, normally spending 1 - 2 weeks out on site, reviewing their financial information, testing and agreeing the figures presented to supporting information. I work with a variety of different teams, both internal and external, from a wide range of industries. On a day to day basis, I design and perform various testing methods to gain assurance over the financial information. Each audit is it's own self contained project, you are assigned a role to perform and the time frame in which to do it, you and your team have the freedom to do what you think is best, with support and approval from senior staff, to perform the job.

I have learnt many new skills, mainly focused around accounting. I went from knowing very little about accountancy, to being a key member of a team on large company audits. There are many internal training courses provided which develop your skills in relation to the day to day job, i.e. testing methodology, where the risks can be in various tests and the presentation of your work. Additionally the external qualification gives you a wider range of knowledge relating to the accountancy field as a whole. I have also developed existing skills significantly. Mostly relating to personal and professional interactions. As auditors are mostly client facing there is plenty of opportunity to build your professional network and improve your communication skills. These interactions help your presenting skills as well.

I thoroughly enjoy my programme, the work is interesting and due to the wide spread of clients two days are rarely the same. Even when work does become a bit repetitive, it's not for long due to the obvious progression you take on more work at a higher level as you advance through the training schemes. The teams, both internal and external are excellent to work alongside. Internal team members are always there for support if need be, and due to the culture in place I feel comfortable asking any questions. Going in I didn't know what to expect really, as I wasn't 100% sure what an auditor did, but this has definitely exceeded my expectations, in terms of the work and knowledge gained, as well as the teams and company culture.

You do feel very valued by the company, as you tend to work in smaller teams, you always feel like an important part of the team. Even when you first start and are working on the less complex areas and just finding your feet, you are still performing necessary and important work. After every job there is the opportunity to gain honest feedback on your performance to help evaluate how you're doing. These feedback sessions are communicated to the rest of the management team as part of your year end review. As you advance through the training stages you take on work at a higher level, allowing you to progress and become a more important member of the team. You are trusted from the start to; interact with clients if you are comfortable with that, manage your own time and draw your own conclusions.

The programme is well structured. It takes place over five years with 3 different grades. You advance a grade in line with your external qualifications. Each year there is a performance review - as well as quarterly catch ups - with your manager to see how you are performing against your set goals and ensuring you're on track with your work and qualification. You are given time off from work to work towards your qualification and study for exams. Each project has a designated team leader who delegates tasks and keeps the project on track via catch ups with the team.

There is plenty of support available from the training provider. Most of the classes are done in a lecture style, with the ability to ask questions as they come. You are provided a copy of the notes for the whole year so you can look back on or look ahead at your own pace. On top of this the tutor provide there email address' so you can ask questions during your self study, additionally there is an online questions board where you can ask any questions that can be answered by other students and lecturers.

There is plenty of support available from GT throughout the programme, both in terms of workload and professional qualifications. Throughout the audits all team members are available to ask questions, including senior members such as managers. There is always time built into the timeline of the job for supporting junior staff, to ensure that there is no pressure and that team members can take the appropriate amount of time to assist others. You have a designated people manager and 'buddy' to raise any questions or concerns with throughout the programme. Regular catch ups are in place to ensure you are handling your workload and any problems are addressed as early as possible.

The salary is sufficient to start with, however there are significant scheduled yearly increases in salary which provide motivation. The expenses policy in place means you are never out of pocket for travel, as travel is commonplace it is expected that you will claim expenses and there is detailed information available on what you can claim for. There is overtime available that is paid out in additional holidays, as well as flexi-time, meaning that as long as you are within core hours and worked at least your contracted amount per week it does not have to be strict nine - five. Due to the nature of the work, you have the option to work at home when it is appropriate, allowing you to be flexible with other commitments.

There are several company social events throughout the year which you are encouraged to participate in. As well as this the company has a designated CSR day, where you raise money for charity through sponsored events. Additionally there is a company charity - voted on every couple of years - that hold events throughout the year, e.g. charity skydives. As you work in teams you build good relationships with your colleagues so you will socialise outside of work.

Yes

I think GT is an excellent firm to train at, they are large enough that you will deal with some large, well known clients, but not too large that you don't feel a part of the team. You get wide exposure of clients in various industries and get to take on as much responsibility as you want reasonably early on. The culture and people at GT are excellent, there is a big emphasis on sharing responsibility, allowing you to have a say in the company and the jobs you perform.

The application process is reasonably straightforward. You submit your application online and are then invites to perform online assessments. If these are passed and your application successful, you will be invited for a digital interview. This is basically a recorded interview, you are asked several questions and you must record your answers via webcam. My advice is to treat this as a face to face interview. Prepare as you would for one of them, dress professionally and be sure to do your research beforehand. The final stage is an assessment centre. A team of applicants will have to perform a task together. They are looking to see how you work as a team, not everyone in the assessment centre is competition, as they can be applying for different roles / departments, so work together. There will also be a one on one interview and a chance to meet some current staff members to ask questions of.